The Community Relations Service (CRS), an arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, is a specialized
conciliation service available to State and local officials to help prevent and resolve racial and ethnic
conflict, violence, and civil disorder. CRS helps governors, mayors, police chiefs, school
superintendents, and civic leaders defuse and manage racial and ethnic tensions and crises. CRS helps
local officials and residents develop locally defined resolutions which restore community order and
stability. CRS is the only Federal agency dedicated to this mission and annually assists hundreds of
State and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups.

Services Available

For more than 35 years, CRS has provided its experienced mediators to settle community conflicts and
violence related to race, color, or national origin. CRS' highly skilled conflict resolution professionals
have helped resolve thousands of cases, arising use of force incidents, hate crimes, special events,
changing demographics, and many other issues.

CRS provides its services when requested or when it believes peaceful community relations may be
threatened. It relies on impartial mediation practices and established conflict resolution procedures to
help local leaders resolve problems and restore community stability. CRS effectiveness depends upon
voluntary cooperation by the parties with CRS and other parties. CRS professionals assist in
identifying the sources of violence and conflict and utilize specialized crisis management and violence
reduction techniques. CRS does not have law enforcement authority and does not impose solutions,
investigate or prosecute cases, or assign blame or fault. Further, CRS mediators are required by law to
conduct their activities in confidence and are prohibited from disclosing confidential information.

CRS conducts its work onsite with State and local officials, police executives, school and college
administrators, and civic leaders.

CRS provides expertise and guidance on methods and policies that help calm racial tensions
and resolve conflicts;

CRS builds cooperative approaches with State and local governments and community groups
to prevent and respond to civil disorders;

CRS improves lines of communication among Federal, State, and local public officials,
community leaders and residents;

CRS resolves conflicts and disputes through formal mediation or other conciliation approaches;

". . . discrimination is something we will not tolerate . . . The enforcement of the law and
protection of the law will be accorded to every citizen, and that no citizen will beyond the reach
of the law." -- John Ashcroft, Attorney General, February 12, 2001.

Significant CRS Accomplishments

During periods of heightened racial tension and conflict in our Nation, CRS has helped hundreds of
communities. Examples of CRS assistance include:

Civil Disorders. CRS helps mayors, police chiefs, and community leaders restore stability
and order. From the civil unrest in Los Angeles to demonstrations and community tensions
over police shootings in Riverside, California; New York, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
and Providence, Rhode Island, CRS was "on the ground, " helping police, local officials, and
leaders end the violence and begin constructive dialogue. Once stability was restored, CRS
provided assistance and training to improve police community relations and avert new violence.

Church Burnings. As part of a comprehensive response by Federal agencies to address
church burnings, CRS staff worked directly with more than 180 rural, suburban, and urban
governments in 17 States to help eliminate racial distrust and polarization, promote multiracial
efforts for the construction of new buildings, conduct race relations training for community
leaders and law enforcement officers, and provide technical assistance bringing together law
enforcement agencies and minority neighborhoods. CRS served as a principal partner on the
National Church Arson Task Force.

Schools, Colleges, and Universities. CRS services are regularly requested by hundreds of
school districts and colleges. CRS is asked to help address racial conflicts and violence,
reduce tensions, develop plans to avoid potential incidents, and conduct training programs for
students, teachers, administrators and parents. CRS offers special programs, including the
Student Problem Identification and Resolution (SPIR) program,which assists school
administrators, teachers, students, and parents identify and defuse racial tensions at the senior
and junior high levels. A further development of this program involves local police agencies as
key partners in the design of an action plan.

Demonstrations, Marches, and Other Special Events. CRS mediators help make sure
that local officials and event organizers plan and communicate cooperatively, thereby reducing
the prospect of racial misunderstandings, conflicts, and confrontations. Key planning and crisis
reponse assistance was provided during the Democratic and Republican Conventions, Spring
Break events in the Southeast, and at numerous protests and rallies throughout the country.

Hate Crimes. CRS assists in ameliorating racial tensions sparked by incidents of hate crimes.
CRS supported State and local hate crime working groups, developed curriculum and
conducted training programs for command and patrol officers on response to hate crimes, and
assisted communities in fostering constructive community involvement in the response to hate
crimes. In Jasper, Texas, CRS assisted the city of Jasper, Texas, along with Federal, State,
and local law enforcement in contingency planning for demonstrations and marches by national
and local organizations in the aftermath of the dragging murder of James Byrd, Jr. CRS helped
the city prepare for the national attention surrounding the funeral and burial, then worked with a
broad coalition of leaders to plan for racial reconciliation.

Housing. CRS provides technical assistance to police departments and community agencies in
managing racial tensions involving housing issues. CRS works with community leaders, housing
officials, security, local law enforcement, and school officials to assure there is a coordinated
response.

Environmental Justice. CRS addresses racial conflicts based on environmental issues. CRS
mediated an agreement between city officials and community leaders which resolved health
concerns, facilitated community involvement in the development of a joint cleanup plan, and
assisted community leaders in addressing community concerns over environmental issues
associated with the enlargement of the sanitary landfill.

Native Americans. CRS provides conflict resolution assistance on issues and disputes
involving tribes, communities, and Federal, State, and local officials. CRS assistance resolved
issues of using reservation lands for sanitary and hazardous waste landfills, tribal voting rights,
leasing of tribal lands to non-tribal members for housing and businesses, cross-deputization
between tribal and non-tribal law enforcement agencies, jurisdictional disputes between State
and local governments, and tribes over gaming activities, and the return of ancient Native
American remains and artifacts unearthed by new land development.

Federal-Local Partnerships. CRS' positive relationships with community organizations help
support other efforts, including community-oriented policing, conflict resolution and outreach by
national law enforcement organizations, state police organizations, and police unions.

"A civil society demands from each of us good will and respect, fair dealing and
forgiveness." -- George W. Bush, President, January 20, 2001

CRS Mission and Goals

In accordance with Title X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000g, CRS seeks to prevent
and resolve community conflicts and tensions arising from actions, policies, and practices perceived to
be discriminatory on the basis of race, color or national origin. CRS provides services, which include
conciliation, mediation, and technical assistance, directly to people and their communities to help them
resolve conflicts that tear at the fabric of our increasingly diverse society.

CRS Program Goals

To create opportunities and mechanisms for constructive civic discourse on issues of race and
ethnicity. CRS helps give national leadership and assistance to efforts to establish "places and
spaces" for effective race relations discussions.

To provide a high caliber of conflict resolution and prevention services to those communities
most vulnerable to significant race relations tensions, conflicts, and violence.

To build enhanced dispute resolution capabilities in local communities, including high schools,
colleges and universities, so that local institutions will be able to resolve their own conflicts
without external assistance.

To establish bridges between minority groups and law enforcement organizations in order to
improve relations and community safety, and to reduce the potential for community conflict.

To improve the preparedness of communities to respond to civil unrest including activities by
hate groups, through the provision of training, contingency planning, and technical assistance.

Our goal is to provide sensitive and effective conflict prevention and resolution services. You can
expect us to meet the following standards when we work with you:

We will clearly explain the process that CRS uses to address racial and ethnic conflicts and our
role in that process.

We will provide opportunities for all parties involved to contribute to and work toward a
solution to the racial or ethnic conflict.

If you are a participant in a CRS training session or conference, you will receive timely and
useful information and materials that will assist you in preventing or minimizing racial and ethnic
tensions. If you would like more information, we will work with you to identify additional
materials and resources to meet your needs within three weeks of learning your need.

We will be prepared to provide on-site services in major racial or ethnic crisis situations within
24 hours from the time when your community notifies CRS or CRS becomes aware of the
crisis.

In non-crisis situations, we will contact you within three days of when your community notifies
CRS or when CRS becomes aware of the situation to discuss your request for CRS services.